Gasoline-dispensing device



W. E. SPLAIN ET AL GASOLINE DI SPENSING DEVI CE Filed Jan. 21. 1924 Patented July 19, 1921.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER E. SPLAIN AND HOWARD L. STACKHOUSE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO UNITED STATES PUMP CORPORATION.

eAsoLInn-msrnnsme nnvrcn.

Application filed January 21, 1924. Serial No. 687,412.

Our invention relates to gasoline dispensing devices of the gravity type, wherein the liquidis dispensed from an overhead tank, preferably of glass, so as to permit the customer to see what he gets. It is our-object to provide a sim le and effective mode of drawing the gasoline into the overhead tank, same to operate without moving parts, from the air pressure system of the garage owner.

It is our object to provide a simple device for moving the service port within the overhead tank, through a path which controls the amount of liquid that will be delivered to the customer, and inconnection with this device to operate an indicator, to the end that the liquid can be dispensed on a price basis as well-as a quantity basis. Thus it is 'our object to move the dispensing port by other than definite steps so that any fraction of quantity can be delivered as determined by aprice scale.

It is our object to provide 5 ecifically for an ejector, as a power means or settmg up a vacuum in the overhead tank. One great advantage in addition to simplicity and freedom from moving parts in this device, is that when the air. under pressure is turned off, the suction at once ceases and atmospheric pressure is established in-the suction p1 e and overhead tank, thereby permitting rea y gravity flow without the use of any relief valve. Furthermore, we use compressed a r as a power means, which is always present 1n garages for use in filling tires, and we effect a very great economy by eliminating the expensive and troublesome vacuum pumps, now customarily. used in gravity dispensing machines for gasoline.

We do not claim to be the inventors of the general mechanism of air pressure controlled ejectors, but do claim that the adaptation of such a device to set up gravity dispensing tank for gasoline or the like, isnovel with us, and forms a decided contribution to the art.

Another object of our invention is to use the device which opens the dispensing port to the delivery hose of the mechanism, for

closing and opening'the inflow pipe. By this means, it is not possible for the tank to be fillin and draining at the same time, and the accidental failure to shut ofl: the air valve while dispensing will not permit of straight groove.

low air pressure in 23.

Specifically, we employ as a movable port 6" device a sleeve within a pipe, the one having a splral groove therein and the otherv a This sleeve and pipe we. also use as a fill pipe, thereby greatly simphfym the structure of the machine, and 1n add1tionmaking very simple the joint control of inflow and outflow of gasoline by manipulatlon of the controlling mechanism for the sleeve. a We accomplish our objects by that certain construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more specifically pointed out and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a art section and part elevation of the comp ete device.

Figure 2 is a detail vertical section through the operating parts for the two way valve, sleeve and chart. t

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of 30 Fi re 2.

igure 4 is a small scale diagram of the .mode of conducting liquid to the device.

We show a framework or column 1, on which is held a glass tank 2, preferably cyllIldIlGfll. The air suction pipe 3 enters at the top of the tank 2, which is air tight, and

mounted on guide rods 4, is a float 5, within the tank, which operates a safety valve 6 for stopplng oil the pipe 3, when the float is raised.

Air under pressure from the pressure tank of the compressor, normally found in public garages for filling pneumatic tires, enters the evice through the pipe 7, in which is a control valve 8, access to which is had through the door 9 in the column. B means of this door the device is locked against unauthorized operation.

The ejector is shown in this pipe, inlet tube 10, outlet tube 11, and suction body 12. The suction pipe 3 extends from the suction body 12 to the top of the tank, as has been indicated. By careful tests we have established that a moderate pressure ofair passing through the ejector will. set up suflicient low pressure in the overhead tank to permit the atmospheric pressure in an unhaving derground storage tank ,to force up liquid rapldly'int'o the overhead tank.

The inflow of liquid passes into the tank through a pipe 13, which extends up into a valve body 14, terminating in. a port of saidbody. This valve body also has a delivery port 16, from which the pipe 17 exat the sametime.

tends to a suitable hose connection 18. From 'the'valve body a pipe 19 extends up into the overhead tank. Within the valvebody and the pipe 19 is a sleeve or cylinder 20 which has a port 21 therein. The revolution of the sleeve will bring the port to a s'ition of opening up port 15 for inflow 0 liquid, or port 16 for outflow thereof. The valve body 1s such, however, that the port in the sleeve cannot take a position of opening both ports The ipe 19 from the valve. body has a longitudinal slot 22 therein, in that portion which extends'above thebase of the tank. The sleeve has a spiral slot 23 therein, which extends throughout the distance covered by lengthwise slot in the pipe 19,

the slot 22. The spiral is such that when the sleeve is turned to a position of opening up the port 15, there is no registr with the at as the sleeve is turned to open the outflow port 16, the spiral traverses the lengthwise slot, as'

indicated by the exposure 24 Figure 1), thereby controlling t 0 level of t e exposure of the spiral slot within the tank, and thus controlling the amount which will be dis pensed therefrom. The spiral, in the form shown, occupies about two thirds of the peri hery of the sleeve, i. e. it makes a two thirds turn around the said sleeve. The valve body is formed with the port 16 about. two thirds of its circumference. I

To revolve the sleeve thereby controlling the direction of flow of liquid in the tank,

. flows out of'the tank, we provide a and also regulating the exact quantity which.

at 25 on the projection 26 of the sleeve be ow the closure 27 therein. This gear is engaged by a worm 28 on the shaft 29 and a handle 30 on the shaft serves torevolve it. The worm drive is well adapted to permit the operator to graduallylower the discharge opening in line,

the pipe and sleeve and desire oint. r

Attac ed to the sleeve between the gear 25 and the valve is a drum .31 which has mounted on its periphery a chart 32; This chart shows througha glazed opening 33 in the column, and can be read with regard to a sight line 34. A totalizer indicated at 35 make a stop at any .may be driven from the chart by means of pins 36, or some similar device, said totalizer including a ratchet, so that it moves onl on rotations of the indicator drum in one dlrection.

We provide a tank 40 for storage of asow ich may be at a remote point cm the device. The feed pipe 41 is from the level in the-pipe brought from the interior of the tank, a

horizontal direction to a point beneath-the dispensing device, where-it is turned up into a the device. The result of this structure is that the level of. liquid in the tank will be. maintained in the pipe 41 just below the dispensing device, and the suction from the tank will not be called upon to draw the opens the valve 8, and moves the handle, ofthe delivery device so as to open the inflow' port-15 in the two-way valve thereby perjmitting the suction ,set -up in the tank through the .operation of the ejector to draw the gasoline fromth'e level maintained in the pipe 41 up into the tank. 1 When the tank has'been filled, the operator shuts off the. air valve 8,- or else the safety float valve .will shut off the suction. Any'excess willthen flow back throu h the .fill pipe to the storage tank. If he ould turn the control handle 30 to dispensing position, the inflowof gasoline would stop, but if the air valve -were to be left on, the suction would pre vent any gasoline from flowing out of the tank through the dispensing hose. Thus in any case the operator will' have to turn'ofi the airvalve,- in order to have a successful operation of thedevice, althoughif 'he neg lects'to do so, no damage will result.

"In dispensing the liquid, the operator-will Watch the chart, andwhen the chart shows a given quantity or a given rice, he will stop revolving the crank. e result of shutting "off the air pressure will be to establish atmospheric pressure in the overhead tank, so that a quick drainage by gravity will bring the liquid to'the top of the pipe 19; Ordinarily the top of pipe 19 will be at the five gallon point of the tank.

It .will naturally be 'ble to alter the mechanical instrumenta 'ties described above without changing the essential features of our device. Our machine is admirabl adapted for dispensing by price, instea of quantity, because of the continuous movement, as distinguished from the usual intermittent movement of the indicator and the control handle,.and movable rt, resulting from the straight and spira grooves in the deliver line. The ejector as a power element for lling an overhead tank with liquid ver greatly sim lifies the device over' those oft e art with w ich we are" familiar, and wherein expensive suction pum s and elaborate valve controls are" u The safety of operation of our device is 0b? tained by the simple expedient of making it impossible to dispense liquid while feedlng it into the tank, by means of a two-way. valve in that portion of the feed line common to both. The shutting off of air pressure at once sets up atmospheric pressure in the overhead tank, without valves or the like; Should the air be turned on when the delivery handle has'been turned to dispensing position, a mere waste of air would occur, as the gasoline feed line would be shut 011'.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A gasoline dispensing device having a gravity dispensing tank, a pipe in said tank,

a sleeve, said pipe and sleeve concentric with each other,- and one having a'spiral slot and the other a straight slot opening into the tank, and means for revolving said sleeve, said sleeve having communication with a delivery pipe and means for filling the said tank with liquid.

'2. A gasoline dispensing device having a gravity dispensing tank, a pipe in said tank,

said sleeve having communication with a delivery pipe, and an Indicator driven with said sleeve for indicating the amount of liquid that'will flow from the gravity tank upon themovement of the sleeve.

3. A gasoline dispensing device having a gravity dispensing tank, a pipe in said tank, a sleeve, said pipe and sleeve concentric with each other, and one having a spiral slot and the other a straight slot opening into the tank, and means for revolvin said sleeve, said sleeve having communicatlon with a delivery pipe, a valve bod through which said sleeve passes, said yhaving two ports therein, said sleeve having a port therein, one of the valve body ports being the communication with a delivery plpe, above noted, and theother 'port in the valve body being a supply ipe entrance into said body.

WAL ERE. SPLAIN. HOWARD L. STAGKHOUSE. 

